I am getting a JAVA WAS BLOCKED message when trying to open a file from within Internet Explorer on my Windows 8.1 computer.

The ActiveX Control within the Internet Explorer browser allows the user to perform a specific task, such as playing a video clip or view PDF files, from within the Internet Explorer window without having to launch a separate application.

The Java™ was blocked because it is out of date and needs to be updated message will be displayed whenever a specific ActiveX control has been prevented from running because an application or component is out of date. This will also help you to obtain the latest version of the affected application or utility by taking you directly to the website for the out of date component.

The Java(TM) was blocked because it is out of date and needs to be updated message will present you with two options:

Update - Selecting this option will take you to the main page for that specific ActiveX control so that you can download and install the latest version.

Run this time - Selecting this option will bypass the update process and execute the ActiveX control. When doing this you will be presented with a security prompt notifying you that you are attempting to launch an application from outside of Internet Explorer:

This prompt will also present you with two options:

Allow - This option will enable the application to be launch.

IMPORTANT: Only select this option after you have verified the application publisher and confirmed that it is a trusted company. Launching an unknown or untrusted application can have serious negative consequences.